O F T H E H I N D U S. ft 



of the old Indian dramas, but great and fmall (I mean both regular plays 

 in many acts and fhorter dramatick pieces on divine love) feems in general 

 to have been. In this way only can we attempt to account for the indubi- 

 table effects of the great airs and impafTioned recitative in the modern Italian 

 dramas, where three beautiful arts, like the Graces united in a dance, are 

 together exhibited in a ftate of excellence, which the ancient world could 

 not have furpaiTed and probably could not have equalled i an heroick opera 

 of Metastasio, fet by Pergoles;, or by fome artift of his incompara- 

 ble fchool, and reprefented at Naples, difplays at once the perfection of 

 human genius, awakens all the affections, and captivates the imagination at 

 the fame inftant through all the fenfes. 



When fuch aids, as a perfect theatre would afford, are not acceffible, 

 the power of mufick mufl in proportion be lefs ; but it will ever be very 

 confiderable, if the words of the fong be fine in thernfelves, and not only 

 well tranflated into the language of melody, with a complete union of mufi- 

 cal and rhetorical accents, but clearly pronounced by an accomplifhed finger, 

 who feels what he fings, and fully underflood by a hearer, who has paffions 

 to be moved ; efpecially if the compofer has availed himfelf in his tranjlation 

 (for fuch may his compofition very jufrly be called) of all thofe advantages, 

 with which nature, ever fedulous to promote our innocent gratifications, 

 abundantly fupplies him. The flrft of thofe natural advantages is the variety 

 of modes, or manners, in which the /even harmonick founds are perceived to 

 move in fucceffion, as each of them takes the lead, and confequently bears 

 anew relatione the fix others. Next to the phenomenon of feven founds 

 perpetually circulating in a geometrical progrefTion, according to the length 

 •of the firings or the number of their vibrations, every ear muil be fenfible, 

 •that two of the feven intervals in the complete feries, or octave, whether we 



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